


You Are The One

by WithTheMoonOnHerWings (orphan_account)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AobajōsaiStudent!Reader, F/M, SugawaraSister!Reader, VolleyballPlayer!Reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-05-24 01:39:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6136866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/WithTheMoonOnHerWings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He attends Karasuno High. You attend Aobajōsai High. Both of you are captains of your volleyball teams, so why haven't you met already? But Fate has a way of intertwining the paths of people, especially if one day you might become more than just acquaintances. </p><p>A short story featuring Daichi and SugawaraSister!Reader, and it all begins when you opened the gym doors of Karasuno.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Are The One

**Author's Note:**

> Heya! It's me again, with a different short story which revolves around the captain of the Karasuno volleyball club. This work is still being written, so it'll take longer to update but I'll try my best!
> 
> As usual, Daichi may be OCC and feedback is very much appreciated. I'm planning for the story to span out into four chapters, so I hope you can stick with me until the end!
> 
> I have only posted the work here, so if you see it somewhere else (which I doubt), please contact me!
> 
> EDIT (16/11): Noticed some slight mistakes, so I altered the text yet again. Sorry for the false alarm!

* * *

* * *

You arrived at the entrance of Karasuno Prefectural High School, panting slightly. Sweat beaded on your forehead and you were sure there were damp spots at your armpits. You had sprinted from the bus stop in hopes to arrive early enough to surprise him, as he often did to you. 

But after ten minutes of school being let out, you weren’t able to spot him in the crowd. Wiping the sweat from your forehead with a tissue, you rose onto your tiptoes, hoping the additional height would allow you to see past the crowd easier. It didn't, but you stayed in that position anyways.

     “What is an Aobajōsai student doing here?” A group of girls stood near you, not bothering to lower their voices. You wrung your bag strap nervously and dropped your head down, trying to avoid the increasing number of stares being caught your way. It wasn't that unusual for someone from another school to be lingering by the entrance, right? You wondered how he felt, if he was as unnerved of the unwanted attention as you were.

     “...Maybe waiting for her boyfriend?” You blushed slightly at the thought of having a boyfriend. Your mother says you’re still young, and your brother often made a joke that until he got a girlfriend, you shouldn’t even think about dating. But at the rate he was going, you knew you would beat him to having a romantic interest.

     “Her skirt’s quite long...” You discreetly started to roll your skirt up as they walked past, and heaved a sigh. You often got laughed at by your own classmates, but it wasn’t your fault you felt more comfortable with the skirt covering your thighs.

With the skirt at a more ‘acceptable’ length, you fished your phone out of your sports bag and decided to text him about his whereabouts. Just as you were about to put your phone away, you heard a slight shriek and the sound of something crashing into the ground. Facing the entrance, you saw a black-haired girl frantically picking up water bottles that were scattered on the ground. You ran up to her and helped pick them up before they rolled further away.

     "Here you go," you handed the water bottles to her, and you saw her freeze at the sight of you. Adjusting her glasses, she took a closer peek.

     "...Sugawara-kun?" You realised she had mistaken you for someone else. You laughed, thinking about how you both really looked alike. She was still staring at you strangely so you decided to clear matters out.

     "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Sugawara (F/n), Kōshi's younger sister." You bowed slightly in greeting and she did the same.

     “Are you perhaps the manager of the boys’ volleyball club?”

     “Yes, I’m Shimizu Kiyoko. Are you looking for your brother?”

     “Yes. Thank you for taking care of my brother. Would you mind taking me to the gym with you?” As she nodded, you picked up the basket with the water bottles back inside. She regained her grip on the bundles of towels she was also holding before she led you to the direction of the boys’ volleyball team.

* * *

     "Nishinoya! Nice receive!" Daichi yelled before running to a better position to return the serve sent his way by Hinata. Despite the team doing well, he knew they were slightly worried about their manager's late arrival. Kiyoko was very rarely late, and if she were any later, he was sure that Nishinoya and Tanaka would be sprinting out of the gym.

     "Captain! Don't worry!" Sugawara's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "If you want, I can look for her?" The lack of noise alerted him the rest of the team was listening in to the conversation and he sighed. Not wanting to distract them from practice, he opened your mouth to agree before the gym doors opened. There were two girls, Kiyoko-san and someone else. Someone who looked almost identical to the vice-captain.

     "HAHHHH?!" The rest of the team realised as well, of the unexpected entry of the lookalike, and heads kept turning to catch their interaction.

* * *

     "Thank you so much again,” Kiyoko-san bowed her head.

     “No worries,” Since your hands were less occupied compared with her's, you decided to open the door of a suspiciously silent gym. From your experience at Aobajōsai, shouldn't it be filled with the squeaking of shoes and bouncing of volleyballs, encouragements rebounding off the walls? The groan of the doors welcomed you, as did the shouts of teenage boys surprise you, interrupting your thoughts.

     "HAHHHH?!" You jumped slightly and noticed Kiyoko-san had continued towards the bench to drop the pile of towels. All eyes of the volleyball team were on you, then shifted to him. You followed their stare and gave him a slight frown.

     "What are you doing here?" Your brother asked as he ran to your side, taking the basket from you.

     "I came here to surprise you, but I couldn’t find you.” You gave him a light punch on the arm and he grinned sheepishly. He rubbed at his neck and you childishly rolled your eyes. 

     “I’m sorry, I must have forgotten to tell you that I had practice today.” You both walked to the bench and he placed the basket down. Crossing your arms, you turned to face him.

     “I’d wish I chose Karasuno High instead; that way I won’t have to take the bus especially to see you.” Kōshi gave your hair a light ruffle and you playfully swatted it away, trying to fix  the stray strands back into the loose bun at the nape of your neck.

     "Sugawara, who's she?" A bald, no, hair shaved extremely close to his head, teenager interrupted your conversation and started to make his way towards you, a slightly scary look on his face. You hid behind Kōshi and gripped his shirt lightly, indicating your slight discomfort with the boy's behaviour as your brother laughed lightly.

      "I don't think I mentioned that I had a younger sister, did I?”

     “Younger sister?” The team echoed. He grinned as you stepped hesitantly to his side, showing the team just how similar you both looked. Light grey hair, brown eyes; the resemblance was uncanny. All you needed was the little mole next to your eye and you could be identical.

     "Hello, I'm Sugawara (F/n). It's nice to meet you, and thank you for taking care of my brother." You bowed slightly, and their mouths dropped open.

     "What year are you in?” The shorter boy asked, bouncing closer to your field of sight, and you stepped back slightly.

     "So cute! I might faint from the sight of two pretty girls!” Now the both of them were making a spectacle, gripping hands and sobbing dramatically as Shimizu-san shook her head at their behaviour.

     "Do you play volleyball? Are you a setter, like Sugawara-kun?” An orange-haired boy asked, bouncing next to the duo. Kōshi laughed, ruffling your hair as you answered their questions.

     "I'm a second year at Aobajōsai, and I do play volleyball. I’m the captain, and my position is wing spiker." You grinned slightly and your brother looped his arm around your neck.

     “Like Michimiya-san! She’s the captain of our girl’s team and is a wing spiker too!” A girl with short dark brown hair wearing a black volleyball uniform came to mind, and you remembered playing against her last year with your team’s victory.

     “Daichi’s also a captain and wing spiker as well.” He murmured before bouncing back to his original position.

     “Why don’t you attend Karasuno?” A tall, intimidating boy asked, and you glanced over at him.

     “We actually live closer to my school, so it’s more convenient.” You studied his face, brain ticking as you could somehow put a name to the boy you haven’t seen before.

     “Could you be... Tobio-chan?” His surprised response told you that you were right. He nodded slightly, and you continued, “Tōru-kun sends his greetings.”

     “How do you know the Grand King?” the same boy who asked about your position voiced out, and Kageyama slapped him on the head.

     “Of course, dumbass Hinata! They go to the same school!”

     “Well, Hinata-san, Tōru-kun's team and my team often practise together, hence, I know him. He’s actually a really strong, dependable player, and he’s a great friend."

     "How about you practise with us today? Show me how much you've improved?” Your brother suddenly asked, and you shook your head in reply.

     "Oh no, I shouldn’t bother your practice! Isn’t the Inter-High soon? Anyways, I’ve got a lot of homework to do so I’ll wait for you to finish before we go back home.” You fished out a large bundle of books and worksheets that needed to be completed for tomorrow’s lessons and wriggled it in his face.

     “Alright then.” He gestured to the black-haired boy. “This is the captain of our team.” He stepped forward and held out his hand. You took it and shook hands.

     "I'm Sawamura Daichi. Pleased to meet you.” “The pleasure's mine," you replied, and it really was. His large, calloused hand felt nice against your skin, and his warm eyes looking down at your own.

     “We’ll try to keep the noise down, but we can’t guarantee total silence. It’d be best to sit with Kiyoko-san; it’s safe from straying volleyballs there.” You nodded and started to make your way over, but he still had more to say to you. “Let me introduce you to the team.” As each member introduced themselves, you held out your hand to shake theirs. Done with the introductions, you gave your brother a final way before making your way to the bench.

* * *

     “Wow, I never knew Sugawara had a sister,” Nishinoya said. “She’s actually pretty cute.”

     “Like how the lilac blouse complimented her hair, and the white jumper enhanced her pale skin?” Tanaka sighed and leant back, resting his head on his arms, “She’s beautiful.”

     “But she looks nearly identical to Sugawara-san, so I thought at first she was him.” Hinata sighed and stretched a little. "Gave me a fright."

     “Pipe down, idiot. She can still hear us from this distance.” Kageyama whispered harshly and Hinata covered his mouth. They glanced in your direction and saw you asking their manager for help with your homework.

     “Come on, everyone! Practice started five minutes ago!”

* * *

     “Um, Kiyoko-san?” You looked up at the third-year who was jotting down notes.

     “Do you think you could help me with this question?” She glanced at the question you were pointing at. Reading it, she grimaced slightly.

     “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I won’t be much help. Maybe ask your brother.” She handed the pencil back, and you stuck a page marker to highlight the problem.

     “Thank you, Kiyoko-san.” You bent your head down to continue on your homework, but the cheers of the first-year duo distracted you. You watched them perform the freak quick, as Oikawa had named it, and your mouth fell open in surprise. “They’re so fast, it looks as though Hinata-san is flying.”

     “Time for a break!” Daichi’s voice rang out and the boys chattered happily as they flocked around Kiyoko for the water bottles.

     “Onii-san!” Your brother sauntered up to you and you passed him your pencil. “I need help with this.” He glanced down and motioned for the captain to join his side.

     “Daichi would be better at this question; he’s the best on this topic!”

     “What’s this?”

     “I’m having a bit of trouble answering this question.” He knelt down and took the pencil from your hand, scribbling some notes and tips in the margin.

     “This is a pretty difficult subject, but I would recommend looking at this reference book for more notes." He circled the title of the text he was talking about, glancing at you from under his eyelashes. "Other than that, you should be okay to solve the rest by yourself. Is that all?”

     “Yep! Thanks, Sawamura-san!” You closed the cover of the textbook and gave a huge sigh of relief.

     “Are you finished, imouto-san?”

     “Yes! That’s the last of it!” You stood up and stretched your back, joints popping from the action. You let out a huge yawn, covering your mouth with your hand as Daichi retrieved an abandoned ball rolling towards him.

     “Does the offer of the match still stand?” Kōshi glanced at Daichi, and the boy nodded.

     “You have your gear, right? I’ll lead you to the clubroom to change…” Your brother didn’t finish his sentence as he saw you taking off your school shoes and undo the zip of your skirt. “What are you doing?”

     “Changing?” You shimmied out of the skirt to reveal a pair of black spandex underneath. The first-years embarrassedly turned away as you shrugged off the jumper and started to unbutton your blouse. “Relax, onii-san! I won’t flash anyone here!”

     “I think the clubroom might be a better location, Sugawara-chan.” Kiyoko eyed the second-years who were trying to peek at you discreetly. You were now in a white tank top and bent down to retrieve your sneakers. A silver anklet gleamed from its position, and your brother shook his head.

     “Don’t you have a t-shirt to wear over that?” The captain stammered as he tried to avert his gaze from you. His face was completely red from embarrassment, as were the ace. Only Kōshi seemed slightly unfazed on the exterior, handing you a spare pair of kneepads.

     “It’s all sweaty, and besides, I’ll get hot later on.” You murmured a word of thanks to your brother.

     “How many times do I have to tell you to not wear that anklet to school? You’ll get in trouble for not obeying the rules. ” You bent down to hide the anklet under your socks.

     “It’s special to me! And if Tōru-kun knew that I broke his promise, he’d annoy me even more.” You alerted the rest of the boys to turn around and giggled at the varying degrees of red faces.

     “What, never seen a girl in a tank top before?” Kiyoko handed you a spare bib and you proceeded to put it on.

     “You look so hot, almost as hot as Kiyoko-san!” Nishinoya bounded over to you, his friend close behind.

     “I really don’t want to hear that from you,” your brother groaned and you let out a light giggle.

     “Okay guys, we’ll split into two teams- (f/n) would be the captain of one and I the other.” He motioned with the tilt of his head for you to choose first.

     “Daichi-san.” The captain was surprised that you had chosen him, but you gave him a large smile. “Two captains are better than one.”

     “Asahi.” 

     “Tobio-..., I mean, Kageyama-san.” The first-year setter stood behind you, fingers itching to make contact with the ball.

     “Tanaka.” The boy glanced back in your direction, and was he discretely flexing his muscles? Your brother caught on the action and gave him a good thump on the back. "Don't even think about it."

     “Hinata-san.” He bounded over towards you, a bright smile on his face that suddenly disappeared when he wordlessly entered into a staring competition with Kageyama.

     “Yamaguchi.” He was surprised, looking back at his taller friend before joining your brother on the other side of the net.

     “Tsukishima-san.” Wordlessly coming over, he made sure to stand closer to Daichi and further away from the duo, whose eyes were red and dry from being forced open for so long.

     “Ennoshita.”

     “Kinoshita-san.”

     “Narita. Nishinoya would swap between the two teams to make it fair.”

     “Sure. My team would start with the ball on the left side. Good luck, onii-san. You’ll need it.” You walked to the line, twirling the ball in your hands. With a blow of the whistle, the match had begun. You set yourself up for a topspin serve and took a deep breath before aiming for the ball to get to Yamaguchi. Startled, he didn’t have any time to prepare before it rebounded off his arm and the team looked at you in surprise.

     “A topspin? Since when did you learn how to do that?” You poked your tongue out at Kōshi as your mind flew back to the first practice sessions you had with your former captain.

     “Don’t mind, Yamaguchi!” Ennoshita called out as Asahi patted the freckled boy on the back. You made your way back to the line and motioned to Yamaguchi to pay attention.

     “Watch where the ball is going, and try to bend your knees and keep the elbows relaxed. It’s best to stand further back as it is easier to run forward rather than backwards.” He nodded, and you took a deep breath, twirling the ball. As you exhaled, you launched it back into the air. It flew over the net and hit Yamaguchi’s arms again, but he had better control.

     “Nice receive!” Tanaka yelled as he positioned himself by the net. You shifted diagonally towards the towards until you stood next to Daichi. He grinned, thanking you wordlessly for helping out and you smiled back in return. You stepped and ran slightly to the left as the ball made its way to Tanaka, who was ready to strike it down. Luckily, Nishinoya prevented the ball from hitting the ground.

     “Nice job, Nishinoya-san!” The game continued, and Tsukishima rotated to stand in the front next to you.

     “You might have to cover for me, Tsukishima-san. I know I’ll be targeted since I’m quite short.” The younger boy nodded in silence as you watched the ball on the other side of the net. You saw the ball make its way towards you and tugged the blond boy by his shirt to your side to block the ball. It bounced back in front of Kōshi, and he looked on, stunned. Tsukishima gently patted your hand and you let go of the shirt you were still gripping lightly.

     “Don’t underestimate me, onii-san!” You stuck your tongue out at him and Tsukishima cleared his throat. You looked at him and saw him gesturing at the shorts which had ridden up. Adjusting it back to its original position, you blushed slightly. It wasn’t embarrassing when you were out there with the girls, but playing in front of boys made you aware of how tight the bottom garment was. “Thanks, Tsukishima-san.”

* * *

He was embarrassed to admit that he watched you readjust your shorts, and wished that would happen more often. Your bun had fallen out, and the hair was swishing gently to your movements in a ponytail.

     “Daichi, you’re not being as loud as usual. A captain can’t lose his composure! Don’t let my sister stun you into silence!” Sugawara voiced, and Daichi blushed. It wasn’t the time now to be thinking of such things, and definitely not near the brother of the girl he was visualising.

     “One more point, team!” His deep voice shook slightly but he was grateful no one noticed the slight tremor.

     “Osu!”

* * *

The match ended with your team’s win, 25-19 and 25-23. For each point your team gained, you gave out a little bit of advice to improve their performance. You had used this opportunity to gather some tips and moves the boys had on their own moves, such as the first-year duo’s quick spike. You sat down on the ground and pushed the knee pads down to your ankles.

     “Good game, imouto-san. I couldn’t believe you have improved so much.” Kōshi sat next to you and gave you his water bottle. You thanked him before squirting some into your mouth to hydrate yourself.

     “You weren’t so bad yourself, onii-san. It’s thanks to the boys that we won.” He patted you on the back before standing back up.

     “I’m going to get changed.”

     “Okay.” You watched him head out the gym and saw Daichi standing by the scoreboard, setting the scores back to zero.

     “Take a break, Sawamura-san! You played really well today!” The boy nodded and made his way over to you. He sat down and you had to fight the urge to scoot closer to him. “You guys really did deserve the win against Seijō in the practice match.” He hummed in agreement as you uncrossed your legs. “I would’ve like it if my brother was the official setter again, but I guess he was willing to step down so that you could have a better chance of winning.”

     “But amazing talent is sometimes hidden due to the environment, and I think you playing against your brother allowed him to show his full potential to his team,” Daichi rubbed his neck before looking at you. Your cheeks turned pink at his words and you began to fiddle with your grey hair slightly curling from the sweat covering your skin. “I think this opportunity showed the first years what the former regular was capable of.”

     "I think that's because he believed in his whole team to do well. I guess the actual path to victory doesn't matter if the setter is a first year or a third year. The one that lets the ball fall on the court loses. That's everything." He hummed in agreement.

     "You're quite close to Oikawa-san, aren't you? Are you two...?" It took you a while to understand what he was saying, and you shook your head furiously.

     "Oh no, we aren't dating. He was the one who showed me around the school when I transferred a month ago, and we hang out during practice. He's nice but I only see him as a friend." You didn't notice Daichi giving a small sigh of relief at your words. You fell back into silence again, but it didn't feel as awkward as before.

     “Imoutu-san! I’m ready to go whenever you are!” Your head spun around to see your brother back in his uniform. “You’re so fast!” Hopping back on your feet, you made your way to your bag to search for your jacket. “Hm, it’s not there. I was sure I brought it along with me.”

     “What are you searching for?”

     “My jacket. I probably left it behind during the morning practice.”

     “You can wear mine’s if you want.” Daichi had gotten back up as well, and held out the black jacket.

     “That would be wonderful! Thanks, Sawamura-san!” You took it from his hand gratefully and zipped it up. The sleeves hung past your arms, and the hem ended at your thighs. “I’ll wash it and give it to onii-san to hand it back to you tomorrow!”

     “See you soon?” the dark-haired boy questioned before your brother pushed you out, complaining playfully of the loss.

     “Of course!” And with that, the two of you departed into the dark, brown eyes watching you disappear into the shadows.

* * *

* * *

It’s been around three weeks since you sprung a surprise visit on your brother, and you didn’t go back to Karasuno with schoolwork and club activities filling up your already packed schedule. However, you had managed to get Daichi’s number and texted him frequently about volleyball and school. He often gave you advice that you took straight to the heart, and you often found yourself telling him about your problems. Having a lot on your plate also resulted in you not knowing about the practice match you had that afternoon. Your coach had kept silent to the team on who you’d be playing against, and did not budge with the pleading eyes of your teammates. With nothing else to do, you took your phone out and texted your brother not to pick you up as you had something. He replied almost immediately, wishing you good luck.

     "Huh, I wonder how onii-san knew we had something important today," the boy next to you shrugged and you ran through a list of what schools you could be playing against today. "Do you know, Tōru-kun?" Even more strangely, the coach had requested you to bring the male captain along, as their own manager was away sick.

     "I do know, (F/n)-chan, and I'm surprised you haven't figured out already. Don't these roads look similar?" You leant past him to get a look at your surroundings, and gasped in surprise.

     "Karasuno!" The other girls in the team started murmuring after eavesdropping on your conversation.

     "Yes, we'll be playing against the Karasuno Girls' Volleyball Club, as they requested when we had set up a practice match with their boy's team." The coach turned back and grinned, as the conversations at the end of the bus grew louder and louder.

     “I wonder if they’re anything like the fallen crows of the boy’s team.”

     “Didn’t we beat them last year in the Inter-High preliminaries? Wasn’t it during the first round?”

     “But I’ve heard they beat Oikawa-senpai's team 2-1. Would that mean the girls would have improved as well?”

     "How come you knew already about our opponents and I didn't?" Oikawa laughed and ruffled your hair.

     "They told us that during the captains' meeting but you must've been daydreaming again." You blushed and hurriedly fixed your hair into a secure ponytail. "I bet you it was about me since you were smiling so happily."

      "As if. You're as attractive as a telephone pole." You made a move to whack his arm and he dodged.

     "Don't be embarrassed, it's only natural that a girl would daydream about someone as handsome as me." You two burst out laughing and couldn't stop until the bus arrived at its destination. Stepping off with Oikawa in tow, you heard the screaming and squealing of girls before they pushed you aside to be by the tall boy. You were starting to get annoyed as it was causing a nuisance to your team. Knowing you had to do something now if you wanted to arrive with enough time for warm-ups, you grabbed the nearest volleyball and lodged it at his back, still visible even when surrounded by a growing crowd. He turned around at the contact and saw you glaring at him. Accepting their presents, he finally his way to your side, holding the ball.

     "That hurt almost as much as Iwa-chan's!"

     "Good," you motioned for him to put the presents in the bus before handing him a bag of green bibs. "Come on, it's time to go." And with that, your whole team made their way to the gymnasium.

* * *

Although today their volleyball practice was, the boys made their way to the gym to watch the girls' practice match against Aobajōsai ‘to learn some tactics from their rival school’.

     "Who are you going to cheer for, Sugawara-san? Our school team or your sister?" Unlike your circumstance of being kept in the dark, so to speak, the Karasuno volleyball players already knew about today’s events. The grey haired boy shrugged and adjusted his position of leaning against the upper-level railings.

     "We'll see, Hinata," Kōshi looked down towards Michimiya and her team running through drills to stretch their muscles and warm up. “Are you excited Daichi? Michimiya personally invited you to watch!” The boy grunted, lost in his thoughts. Why didn’t you invite him to watch as well? He thought you would ask him to watch you play, but maybe you were busy. The doors flew wide open and the Aoba Jōsai team made their way to a spare court. They were already in practise gear, loose white tops with black spandex. Only their green bibs and shoes would be adding colour to their ensemble.

     “Where’s (f/n)-san? Isn’t she playing today?” Tanaka whined as Nishinoya looked around trying to spot you.

     “Maybe she left something on the bus. She isn’t as organised as me,” Kōshi laughed and watched the rest of your team practising serving and receiving. “It’s going to be a hard match; I think they both practised so hard.”

     “There she is… with the Great King?!” They spotted you walking next to Oikawa, chatting idly about strategies to include in the match while tossing the ball into the air. The tall boy gave you a friendly fist bump before you ran to catch up with the warm up drills led by your vice-captain. Taking your jacket off, you caught sight of your brother and his team. Waving at them, you smiled before calling the girls over to talk over the tactics for the game.

* * *

     “Well, well… isn’t this interesting. Watching the practice match?” Oikawa’s voiced reached Daichi’s ears and the whole team looked down sharply.

     “What are you doing here?” Tanaka sneered, and Hinata popped up behind his shoulder, nodding in agreement.

     “Their manager’s away sick, so their coach asked me to help out.” A stray ball rolled and stopped by his feet, and he bent down to pick it up. “It’s been a while, Tobio-chan!”

     “Hmph,” the first-year straightened his back and Oikawa laughed, deciding to face your brother instead. “Who are you here for, Mr Refreshing? I’m sure your school team practised a lot, but I strongly believe our team would win today.”

     “Oi, Tōru-kun! Help us out, will you? The game’s about to start and we aren’t ready, not with all the balls laying scattered around!” Bidding a farewell, he jogged to tidy up the court as you stepped in his previous spot.

     “Sorry about that, onii-san. He’s a handful.” You bowed slightly, and glanced up, meeting their eyes. “I hope you’ll enjoy the game.” The coach called your name, and you sprinted back, missing the soft mumble of good luck from both your brother and his close friend sent at your back.

* * *

     “Michimiya-senpai, are you alright?” a concerned teammate asked the reddening captain as she fumbled to receive a simple serve sent her way.

     “Is it because of the Seijō captain? The rumours are true; he’s very hot!” Another teammate gushed under her breath, and the team giggled before swooning, as the object of their conversation looked their way and sent them a wink.

     “Nah, it’s because of Daichi, right Yui?” the vice-captain nudged her and laughed as the girl seemed to turn even redder.

     “Captain! It’s time!” the coach called out and the third-year wing spiker turned, walking towards the umpire and the Aobajōsai girl. Flipping the coin, it was decided Karasuno would serve first on the side of the court furthest away from the spectators. Shaking hands; the girl who looked so much like Sugawara bowed her head.

     “Um,” you turned around to face the brunette, eyebrows raised in question. “Are you related to Sugawara?”

     “Oh yes! I’m sorry for the late introduction. I’m his younger sister, Sugawara (f/n),” You flashed her a grin before sprinting off, yelling for your green-clad team to line up. The whistle blew and the match started.

     “You can do it, (f/n)-san!” Tanaka and Nishinoya smiled as they waved excitedly.

     “Go Karasuno!” Other students supporting their own team cheered for the girls donned in black t-shirts and spandex. As the line dispersed and the starters made their way to their positions, you turned to face them.

     “I believe in all of you.” Oikawa smiled at the sidelines as you said his signature line, not missing the exact moment when the atmosphere of the game shifted, and the ball went up in the air.

* * *

It was your team’s serve when the teams rotated to result in the captains facing each other. You noticed immediately she was nervous, fumbling slightly in her steps to move into a better position to receive the ball. The score was at 20:9, and you lips pulled up at the large difference in points. The ball sailed over your heads and hit the opponent’s side, the sound of it making contact with the floor echoing slightly in the gym.

     “Nice serve!” you called out, watching the scores change from 20 to 21.

     “Sorry Michimiya-senpai! I’ll receive the next one!”

      “Save the apologies for later! Even if we’re not confident we’ll win…”

     “We must not tell ourselves that. We still have a chance.” Both captains finished the phrase in synchronisation, and the whole court was silent. You looked blankly at her until you realised you had said that aloud.

     “I’m sorry! I’ve heard that phrase before.”

     “From Daichi?” The older girl queried, and you nodded frantically, cheeks ablaze. Although you both didn’t project your voices, but the silence of the gym seemed to amplify your conversation. Daichi was stunned that you remembered what he had said. Rubbing his neck, he avoided the gazes sent at his direction.

     “Don’t worry your head over such small matters! (F/n)-chan, Seijō still has a practice match to win!” Oikawa’s voice shook you out of the situation, eyes locked onto your form. In the background, girls were squealing over his deep voice and you thanked him silently with the tilt of your head. Letting out a deep breath, you faced your teammate.

     “Hit us another nice serve!” But before she could, Karasuno called for a time out.

     “I’m headed for a quick breather,” you notified Oikawa before you opened the doors and sprinted out of the gym.

* * *

Michimiya watched you leave the gym and felt wary. How did you know Daichi? Did you like him too?

     “Oi, Michimiya.” Daichi waved his arm to get her attention.

     “You’re doing really well,” Sugawara shot her a reassuring grin and she chuckled half-heartedly. She gave a thumbs up, but the boys could see that she was putting up a façade to conceal her true feelings. “We’re going to stand over there to have a better view.” And with a wave, the volleyball team headed to the other side of the court where they would be closer to Karasuno’s team. Only Daichi remained in their initial spot.

     “Take a deep breath. Don’t worry.” The voice of the boy she liked calmed her nerves down a bit, and she fiddled with her fingers. But she couldn’t relax, not when she noticed him eyeing the set of doors you had exited.

     “Hey Daichi…” his eyes flickered towards hers, and she took a breath to steady her nerves. “Do you like-” The yells of her teammates to talk strategy interrupted what she was going to say. Shaking her head, she shot another fake grin. “Talk to you later, okay?” Before he could reply, she sprinted back to the team.

     “Michimiya, I know you well enough to notice you’re worrying.” Her close friend and vice-captain handed her a water bottle, which she grabbed gratefully. Chugging the water down, she nearly choked at her friend’s next words. “You’ve known him since middle school- you wouldn’t lose to someone that easily.”

     “Wh-what are you saying?” Her cheeks grew red as her friend laughed heartedly.

     “I’m serious, though. Don't worry. I think Daichi-kun likes you too.” Michimiya looked up to see him talking to Asahi and slapped her cheeks.

     “Right! We can do this!”

* * *

Outside, you enjoyed the fresh air and fluttered your shirt to cool down. It was your second time here at Karasuno, but the change in location made it feel as though you were an outsider again. Out of nowhere, a squirt of water landed on your neck, causing you to squeal loudly.

     “Hey, (f/n)-chan. Catch.” A water bottle flew your way, and you caught it, not missing the chance to get your revenge by aiming at his face before gulping down the contents.

     "Thanks, Tōru-kun.” Grabbing the towel from his hand, you wiped away at your sweat and the water droplets.

     “Shouldn’t you talk to your team?” He sat down next to you, stretching his long legs. You marvelled at how long they were, and silently wished yours were as long and thin as his.

     “They’d be okay; I just need to cool my head.” Sitting in silence, you leant your head against his shoulder and gave a big sigh. He patted your back and you relaxed at the contact.

     “You seem to be quite close with Sawamura-kun.”

     “We’d met only once, but I often text him so it feels as though we’ve known each other for a long time.”

     “Just be careful okay? It looks as though the female Karasuno captain likes him too, and I don’t want you to get hurt.” He stood up and pulled you to your feet. “Go and win another practice match for Seijō.”

* * *

Aobajōsai was two points away from winning when it was your turn to serve. You walked to the serve line, twirling the ball in your hands. The score was 23-11, and you wanted to finish this round as quickly as possible. Taking a few steps back, you launched the ball into the air before approaching it; left, right, slight sprint. Jumping into the air, you aimed for the ball to get to the back corner of the court. The players were too slow to receive the ball and it hit the floor immediately.

     “A jump serve? I guess Oikawa-san taught (F/n)-san how to do one.” You overheard Kageyama’s comment but didn’t pay any attention as you stepped back to the line.

     “Nice serve, captain!”

     “Let’s score another one!” Taking a deep breath, you moved again. To those accustomed to Oikawa’s games, your movements mirrored his as you leapt into the air, trying to put more power behind the serve. It flew straight towards the opponent and they failed to receive the ball, resulting in it rebounding off their arms and off the court.

     “Good job!” The coach leapt to their feet, clapping as the scores finalised at 25:11.

     “That’s our captain!” Your friend ran up to you for a high-five, and you laughed, hitting his large palm. Your teammates swarmed around you as they cheered for the little victory.

* * *

     “Switch sides.” The umpire gave a blow of the whistle, and the scores went back to 0:0 to signify the start of a new round.

     “Hit another good serve, captain!” And you did; one after another after another. You had put the score to 8:0 until it was their serve.

     “Good job, imouto-san!” You heard your brother call out to you and his team cheered. You shot them a smile and a thumbs up before you faced the front.

     “You can do it,” Michimiya called, and the server nodded her head.

     “Kyah!” The ball came spinning over out of control and you lunged to receive it. You weren’t going to make it, but you held your hand out even further.

     “No, (F/n)-san!” But it was too late; you fell to the ground awkwardly as the ball landed out of bounds. Tumbling, you continued to roll until you stopped a few metres away. The gym was silent as everyone tried to process what had happened. You clumsily sat upright and tentatively moved each limb. You felt a sharp pain shoot up your ankle and you let out a hiss, tears wetting your eyelashes.

     “Are you okay, Suga-senpai?”

     “She twisted her ankle!” You tried to stand up but landed back on the ground with another whimper. With your vision blurred, you could only make out the outlines of your teammates as they rushed over to your side.

     “Imouto-san! Don’t move!” You heard footsteps pounding down the stairs as you closed your eyes, tears making their way down your cheeks.

     “I’m here, (F/n)-chan. Don’t cry.” A pair of arms encircled you, and you turned your head to bury your face into his shoulder. He brought one arm under your legs and the other around your back, before lifting you off the ground. Your hands fisted tightly against his shirt and you bit your lip hard from the pain. Taking a deep breath, you looked back up at him and plastered on a wavering smile.

     “I’m okay, Tōru-kun. J-just put me down and I can continue the game.”

     “No, (F/n). Listen to me. You are injured, and you have to sit out. Just trust your team; they can win for you.” Arms gripping tightly around Oikawa’s shoulders, he carried you to a spot on the floor behind the bench as the coach sent in a substitute to resume the game. Sitting you upright, he carefully untied your shoelaces and slid the shoe off. What was initially a slender, pale ankle had swollen, making the loose anklet you wore appear as though it was cutting off your circulation. Your brother was instantly by your side, gently unclasping the jewellery and pressing ice onto the injury.

     “Don’t worry, captain! We’ll win this game for you!” You knew they would; they were are strong players who each had the potential to become the ace.

     “I’ll be counting on you to lead the team to victory,” your voice wobbled as you addressed the third-year vice-captain, and the coach patted your arm gently.

     “Just elevate that leg, okay? I’ll try and get the bus to park closer to the gym so you won’t have to walk that far afterwards.” They stood up and faced Oikawa. “For now, I’ll be putting you in charge, Oikawa-kun. Send someone to fetch me if any problems arise.” With a curt nod, they left and your friend sat on the ground, placing your leg on his and holding the ice securely. With Kōshi rubbing soothing circles on your back, you watched the game progress without you.

* * *

Daichi stared down worriedly, hoping he could do something to make you feel better. The game had continued, but it was much quieter without your shouts of encouragement and the other team felt slightly guilty for causing injury to their opponent, one that happened to be their schoolmate’s sister.

     “Don’t mind! It’s not your fault.” The captain patted the girl on the shoulder, and she could only shake her head when the words did not seem to comfort her. She signalled for a timeout, and the game paused. “Go and apologise to her if it makes you feel better.” Her teammate ran to the injured player, and bowed, expressing her apologies. Michimiya glanced up to see if Daichi was up there watching the interaction but he was nowhere to be seen.

     “Pst, Yui.” The vice-captain nudged her. “If you’re looking for him, he’s over there.” Following her finger, her eyes landed on him kneeling next to you, wrapping a bandage securely around your ankle. “I hate myself for saying this, but I think he likes her.”

     “And I think she likes him too,” she whispered in a broken voice. Watching you look up and smile at him broke her heart, and she knew at that moment she wasn’t the only one fighting for his love.

* * *

The match ended with Seijō’s win, 25:11 and 25:15. Both teams bowed and you clung to Oikawa’s shirt as you copied the action.

     “Thank you for the game!” The Seijō girls cheered as they stepped forward to hug their opponents, catching them by surprise. It was a unique tradition of theirs to thank their opponent (or one wearing the same number jersey/bib) after each match by embracing them, whether they lost or won. Oikawa led you to the Karasuno captain, and you held your arms open.

     “Thank you for the game.” Michimiya stepped towards you enveloped you in a hug.

     “I’m really sorry about your injury, Sugawara-san.”

     “It’s fine, really. It was stupid of me to run after a ball that would be out, and I guess I had to pay that price.” Stepping back, you held out your hand.

     “Um,” the older girl hesitated. “I know you like Daichi, but I just wanted to let you know I would be confessing to him today.” You froze and stared at her wide-eyed. She quickly bowed before running back to join her team.

     “We should get going now, (F/n)-chan. Otherwise, the bus would leave without us.” Oikawa picked you up again and made his way out of the gym.

     “(F/n)! Oikawa-san!” Your brother’s voice stopped the boy and he turned around. “Let me carry her bag; I don’t want you to injure yourself carrying extra weight.” You handed the bag to Kōshi and thanked him. He ruffled your hair and laughed as you swatted his hand away. Readjusting your position, Oikawa shot your brother a genuine smile.

     “Thanks, Mr Refreshing. We’ll see you at home.”

* * *

     “Daichi!” the female captain yelled out when she spotted him watching the Seijō team boarding the bus. She didn’t miss how his eyes narrowed slightly when he caught sight of the male captain carrying you in his arms, and the little growl he let out when you ruffled Oikawa’s hair, laughing at something he said. Giggles from your teammates rang in the air as you mused his hair to resemble devil’s horns, before weaving your fingers through the chocolate-brown locks to revert them to their original style. “Daichi!”

     “Oh, what’s the matter Michimiya?” He was still watching the bus, and finally looked at her when it pulled out onto the road.

     “I just wanted to ask you something,” she gripped onto the sides of her shorts before she continued. “Do you like her? Sugawara-san?” He blinked at the question that seemed to come out of nowhere.

     “Uh, I guess you can say I do?” He rubbed his neck as he let out an awkward chuckle. With her throat burning and tears stinging the back of her eyes, she set her pride aside and asked one that meant the most to her.

     “Let me rephrase the question: would there ever be a chance you would see me as something more than a friend?” She kept her eyes down, and immediately knew his answer when he let our a deep sigh.

     “I’m sorry, Michimiya. I think the most I can see you as is a friend.”

* * *

* * *

     “Aren’t we a bit early, Kōshi?” The silver-haired boy shook his head as the duo reached the entrance of Aobajōsai. Their study classes had ended early so they were able to pick you up after school.

     “Sometimes imouto-san gets out earlier than the rest, so I tend to arrive as soon as possible so she doesn’t have to wait for me.”

     “What a nice brother she has.” The setter jabbed at Daichi’s waist as the dark-haired boy let out a laugh. They leant against the wall and Kōshi took his phone from his pocket to pass the time. Daichi watched some students in sports gear running around the building, and wondered if you were okay and whether you could still attend the volleyball practices, whether you would be happy to see him here today, whether…

     “I think she has sports now so she might be a little late.” Your brother glanced up and saw you running behind the group. “(F/n)!”

     “Onii-san! Sawamura-san! Are you here to pick me up?” You jogged awkwardly over to them, and Daichi’s gaze landed on the brace around your ankle. The black supportive material peeked over your sneakers, and he noticed the anklet had moved to the other leg.

     “Yep, consider it your lucky day since Daichi is free to join us!” Classmates watched your interaction with the Karasuno boys, and the teacher wandered over to see what the fuss was about.

     “Thanks so much, Sawamura-san! And I was planning to see if I can surprise you back at Karasuno! After this lap, I'll be finished so you’ll only have to wait for another… five, no, ten minutes since I can’t run as fast.” The teacher’s yell for you to finish your lap broke the conversation, and you gave a sheepish wave before limping away.

* * *

The school bell echoed into the air, as the sounds of students chatting quickly provided the backdrop of the end of the school day. Daichi noticed girls from other schools standing a few steps away from him, retying the bows of their presents and ensuring that their phones had opened the camera app.

     “Do you think he would be out here today?”

     “Yes, I double-checked my schedule and Oikawa-senpai doesn’t have volleyball practice today.”

     “Great! Is my hair okay?” Their silent chatter was interrupted with feminine squeals when they spotted the boy.

     “Oikawa-senpai! Please accept my present!”

     “Can we have a very quick selfie together?”

     “Hey, is that his girlfriend?”

     “I don’t think so… but he’s holding her arm!” Kōshi glanced over at the growing mob and his eyes widened in surprise. “They look good together!”

     “Imouto-san?”

     “Onii-san! Just wait a moment!” Oikawa was still busy with accepting the gifts from his fans so you hobbled over to Iwaizumi, who placed a protective arm around you.

     “Why did you leave me, (F/n)-chan?” Oikawa whined as he noticed your absence.

     “Because I want to greet my brother, not socialise with your fan club.” The ace gave you a fist bump as Oikawa made sounds of distress

     “How could his girlfriend just leave him like that! She sure does have some nerve to do so!” They cast accusing glares at you and Daichi could feel his mood darkening. They shouldn’t be treating you like that, especially since they had misjudged you.

     “Oikawa-senpai! I’ll be your girlfriend!”

     “No, I will! I'm prettier than all the girls here, especially her!” A girl pointed a finger at you and you could only roll your eyes.

     “I’m not his girlfriend! Just because he lent me his arm doesn’t mean I am linked to him romantically!” You yelled out, and heads turned in your direction. “If that was the case, then wouldn’t I be Iwaizumi’s girlfriend now, and be in a relationship with my brother and his friend later on?” From this, the girls seemed to know that you weren’t involved with Oikawa and continued to squeal their affections for the boy.

     “Oikawa! Get your butt back here! It’s not the time to be flirting!” Iwaizumi could hardly be heard over the squealing of the girls and had to resolve with dragging the tall boy away by the back of his uniform.

     "Stop it Iwa-chan! You're stretching my uniform!" The girls let out a collective sad sigh and continued on their way while the ace dragged Oikawa back in your direction. Your brother and his friend were standing next to you with amused smiles on their faces.

     “Sorry about that, onii-san, Sawamura-kun. Tōru-kun can be a handful most of the time.”

     “(F/n)-chan! Don’t be so mean to me!” He readjusted his blazer and you flicked him on the arm. “You should be glad that you got to be my girlfriend, even if it was just for a few seconds.”

     “In your dreams.” The two of you continued to banter and Daichi watched in amusement.

     "I’ll leave you with them then, Sugawara-san. Take care." Iwaizumi hoisted the bag higher on his shoulder and turned to leave. Oikawa pouted as he glanced over at his best friend.

     "Fine, fine. I never asked to be this handsome, though." Before Iwaizuimi could whack him yet again, the setter tugged him away. “Be careful not to put too much stress on the ankle, (F/n)-chan. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

     “Sure. See you then!”

     "I think I left my volleyball shoes in the clubroom, so let's go back so I can retrieve them." Sugawara held out his arm and you looped yours through gratefully. 

     "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

* * *

     "What are you guys doing here? We don't have practice." When you arrived at the gym, the boys were surprised to see every volleyball member present.

     "(F/n)-san!" Tanaka and Nishinoya ran towards you with their arms open, and Daichi quickly positioned himself so that he was in front of you. The two second-years collided into the captain and the three fell to the ground.

     "Careful, she's still injured." You looked around and saw the first-years practising their receives with the second years, and Asahi was sitting in the corner watching a video on a tablet.

     "Sugawara's sister! Help me with my receives!" Hinata waved his arm wildly and you couldn't help but giggle.

     "Sure, Hinata-san!" You carefully jogged to his side and caught the ball he threw at you. "Kageyama-san, do you want to join us?"

     "Y-yes please, Sugawara-senpai."

     "No need with the honorifics or formality! Just call me (F/n)." You beamed up at him and Kageyama's face reddened almost immediately.

     "Yes, (F/n)...(F/n)-senpai." You reached up and ruffled his hair before launching the ball into the air.

     "Let's go!"

* * *

 Daichi watched from the sidelines and couldn't hold back the smile on his face.

     "Captain?" You still with us?" Kōshi waved his hand in front of his eyes and placed his hands on his hips. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you fancied (F/n)!"

     "Suga-san! Can you toss the ball for me?" Nishinoya called out alongside Tanaka. Ennoshita stood on the other side of the court with Narita and Kinoshita, and the third-year waved back.

     "Coming!" He slapped Daichi on the back before running towards them.

     "I'm going to get the water bottles filled." Asahi gestured towards the empty water bottles sitting on the ground and left when Daichi gave a nod of his head.

     "Sawamura-san! Play 3-on-3 with us!" You waved to get his attention, and he saw that you had made yourself into teams already. You stood next to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, and Hinata and Kageyama were bickering as usual.

     "Sure." He made his way over as you stood by the serving line.

     "Bring it on!" You tossed the ball in the air and launched yourself after it. Aiming at Hinata, you slammed the ball down and smiled when it bounced off his arms.

     "One more!" Hinata braced himself for the next serve and was able to successfully receive it. The game continued, and soon Hinata was at the serving line. He managed to get the serve over and you clapped.

     "Good job, Hinata-san!" You ankle started to throb again, but you ignored it as you made your way to Tsukishima's side to set the ball. However, the blond-haired boy noticed that your movements were stiffer than usual and how you favoured the other leg.

     "(F/n)-senpai, are you okay?" You hesitated for only a second but managed to set the ball quickly for the taller boy who slammed it down in front of Hinata.

     "Yep! Don't worry about it!" But you somehow managed to trip over your own feet as you made your way back to the serving line and fell to the ground.

* * *

Daichi had ordered Hinata and Nishinoya to get the ice, and practice resumed somewhat reluctantly. Your brother had left to change to bring you back home so Daichi sat on the floor next to you. He started to rub tentative patterns on the ankle, and you relaxed, as the motions relieved the pain ever so slightly. The feel of his warm, calloused fingertips sent tingles down your back and you had to hold back a moan. You didn't realise you were resting your head on his shoulder until he started stroking the fine tendrils of hair falling out the ponytail. You snuggled slightly into him, and you felt him freeze.

     "(F/n)-san?" Closing your eyes, you breathed in the scent of him, the masculine musk clouding your senses.

     “Has anyone ever told you that you smelt nice?” You let out a little noise of content and he chuckled.

     “Only you.” But he didn’t stop you when you wriggled in front of him and set your head back on his shoulder so that your nose was closer to his neck. His hand moved down to your waist and traced patterns you couldn’t follow. Asahi watched your public display of affection and blushed profusely.

     “What’s the matter, ace?” Ennoshita stood next to him and followed his gaze. “Are you feeling okay, Sugawara-chan?” You quickly broke apart, face glowing a bright red.

     “Yes, Ennoshita-san. Thanks for asking.” You suddenly noticed the stares from the team and wanted to suddenly sink into the ground in embarrassment.

     "We're back with the ice pack!" Hinata shrieked from the entrance of the gym.

     "Oi, dumbass! Keep it down!" Kageyama strayed from his job of collecting the volleyballs and pushed his sleeves up.

     "Why don’t you both shut it? Save your breath for something more purposeful than creating noise pollution.” He pushed his glasses up and tilted his head, a smirk on his face.

     "Nice, Tsukki!"

     “What did you say you!!!” You watched in amusement as Hinata tried his best to flick Tsukishima’s head. Nishinoya handed you the ice and you thanked him silently.

     "Noise pollution, or is that still too difficult to understand?" He laughed as Hinata let out a growl of rage.

     “Pack up otherwise you’ll have to run five laps for tomorrow’s morning practice!" Daichi made a move to stand but you rubbed at his arm, trying to get his anger to subside. Kōshi noticed the gesture and smiled knowingly, sensing something was going on with the two of you.

     "It's okay, a little bit sarcasm never hurt anyone." Wrapping a towel around the ice so it wouldn't freeze your hand off, you lifted the free arm to get your brother to pull you back up. He did, and with a bit too much force, you felt yourself starting to topple over. You yelped in pain as you put your pressure on the injured foot, and this stopped the first-years' argument.

     “(F/n)-san?!" Tears sprung to your eyes, and you looked at Tanaka, who voiced his concern.

     "I'm alright. Don’t worry." But everyone could see that you weren't, and worry was plastered onto their face. An arm circled around your waist and lifted you up.

     "Sugawara, get on the other side. I'll help you take her home." Your brother got to your other side and lifted you higher until your feet dangled, the ice pack wrapped securely with the towel. "Practice's over, and I'll put Ennoshita in charge of locking the doors." With a nod, the boys set off.

* * *

Your brother wasn't extremely weak, but you could see he was getting exhausted. Carrying an extra bag filled to the brim and his sister would tire anyone out eventually.

     "Onii-san, are you okay? I should be fine walking at this point; it really doesn't hurt so much now."

     "I'm fine, what kind of brother would I be if I couldn't help you?" You were about to reply when your phone rang. Kōshi apologised to his friend as he let you go, before searching through your bag to find the source of noise. 

     "Oh!" You let out a surprised squeak as Daichi lifted you onto his back.

     “It’s easier if I carry you like this,” He shifted you slightly before holding the ice more securely to the ankle.

     “Thanks,” you wrapped your arms around his shoulders and watched your brother ruffling through the bag. Humming a little tune, you started to get amused as he became more annoyed at his fruitless search. “Bring the bag over, onii-san, I know where I put it.” Daichi walked to his friend as you reached out for the side pocket, having to lift your body slightly to see better. The captain blushed as your legs wrapped themselves tighter around his waist.

     “Hello?” You settled back into the previous position, resting your forehead on his shoulder. Daichi tensed his muscles slightly, and you brought your free hand to rub at the fabric of his jacket, tracing the writing on the back.

     “Yahoo (f/n)-chan, it’s me.”

     “Oh hello, Tōru-kun. What seems to be the matter?” The boy furrowed his eyebrows, wondering why you would be getting a call from the Seijō captain this late.

     “You seemed to have dropped your pen on the floor this afternoon.”

     “It’s just a pen. You know you could just give it to me before school tomorrow.” You unconsciously played with the hair on Daichi’s nape, and he tried his best to not moan at your ministrations. His hair felt different from Kōshi’s and Oikawa’s; it was thick yet silky to touch. Your brother watched silently as you ran your hand through the dark locks, causing Daichi to close his eyes in surrender to the attention.

     “Actually, I’m at your house right now, with the pen. Are you headed home?”

     “Yes, I’ll see you there. Yeah, I’ll be careful. Bye.” You hung up and awkwardly tried to pocket your phone before you realised you had no pockets. “Hey Sawamura-san, would you mind putting this in your coat pocket?”

     “Sure,” your fingers touched his as you gave him the device, and it lingered for a moment too long to be considered accidental. Kōshi cleared his throat loudly and reached for Daichi’s bag.

     “Let’s get going. I’ll get your bag for you, Daichi; (F/n)’s not the lightest person in the world.” He pulled his tongue out and you tried to swat at him.

     “Hey! Take that back!” Laughter rang through the night air as you all made your way back home.

* * *

     “I’m home!”

     “Sorry for the intrusion.”

     “We’re back, okaa-san!” Daichi lifted you off his back and sat you down on the step, helping you take off your shoes. You thanked him and stood up, resting most of your weight on the good foot and his shoulder before hobbling towards the kitchen.

     “Is that you, (f/n)-chan?” Daichi seemed to freeze at the voice. 

     “Yes, Tōru-kun! I’m here!” Footsteps thudded on the wooden floor until the familiar presence of your friend stood in front of you.

     “Hello, Mr Refreshing! Sawamura-kun! What seems to bring you…” his voice drifted off as his gaze locked onto your ankle. Stepping forward, he put his arms behind your legs and back and lifted you into the air. “I told you to go easy on the ankle, and what do I see?”

     “It’s okay, Tōru-kun. A night’s rest would bring down the swelling...” 

     “Bullshit. It looks just as bad as my knee was, and if it gets any worse you know you won’t be able to attend the Inter-High Preliminaries,” He carried you to the kitchen at sat you on the bench. “Okaa-san went out to get something from the shops, so she won’t be back until later. Stay here. Don't move.” He hurried to get some ointment and ice, as Daichi made his way to you. Gently examining the ankle, he looked straight into your eyes. 

     “I thought you said you were just friends?” His harsh tone made you blink in surprise. Didn’t you make it obvious that you fancied him? 

     “We are, but okaa-san likes him so he often hangs around to help out.” You gently cupped his cheek and stroked the smooth skin there with your thumb. “I’d only see him as a friend, maybe the most as another older brother.” _And hopefully, you’ll see me as someone you could love_.

     “Don’t worry, Sawamura-san, I’m not interested in her.” You both jumped in surprise as Oikawa leant on the doorframe, a smirk on his face. “She’s too much like a little sister, it feels wrong to think about her that way. Chase after her to your heart’s content.”

     “When did you get here?” You covered your reddening cheeks with your hands and tried to glare at him. Oikawa smirked and fiddled with the plastic casing of the medicine.

     “Just then,” he sauntered over and handed you the cream and bag of ice. “Here, apply this on the painful areas and afterwards put ice on it.” He stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder. “Your pen’s on your desk, and I’ll pick you up for school tomorrow, so don’t be late.”

     “Okay, thanks.” You both watched Oikawa leave, and Kōshi suddenly popped into view.

     “Daichi, imouto-san, I’ll be upstairs showering so if anything happens, you’re in charge.” He plodded up the stairs and the room stayed silent.  
  
     “Here, your phone. I forgot to give it back to you.” He handed the phone back and you noticed how he drew his hand away almost immediately, not like last time. He glanced away, rubbing his neck and you fiddled with the phone in your grasp. _Sawamura-san likes me?_ Could you take Oikawa's words as the truth? You knew you had feelings for Daichi and thought he felt the same way, but his behaviour right now seemed as though he was trying to separate himself from you. Also, from past experience, despite Tōru-kun often playing around, what he said was always right. You built up your nerves and sat up straighter.

     “Sawamura-san?” He looked up, and almost immediately moved his gaze to the phone you had set on the table to avoid your eyes. 

     “Yes…?” He answered gruffly, eyes briefly flicking up to meet yours, and you took a deep breath. Cupping his face with your hand, you leant forward, pressing your lips to his. Your eyes still open, you noticed his own widen before fluttering shut, lashes casting slight shadows on his cheeks. It was a delicate kiss that expressed your feelings to him, and you smiled against his slightly chapped lips. Breaking apart, you studied his expression. His eyes lingered on your lips before meeting yours again. Letting out a shaky breath, he held your stare for a moment and then pulled you forward, stepping between your legs and arms looping around your waist. He captured your lips in another kiss, one hand moving to weave itself into your hair. You moaned as the kiss grew more insistent and demanding, whimpering his name as he gently nibbled on your bottom lip.

     “Sawamura-“ You breathed somewhat raggedly, and he cut you off.

     “Daichi.” But before you could say anything else, his mouth was back on yours, and your hands crept across his broad shoulders, gripping the material of his jacket lightly. You looped your legs around his waist, and it seemed as though each kiss shared with the boy lasted an eternity. At last, you broke off, gasping for air as he nuzzled his forehead into the crook of your shoulder.

     “Daichi, I like you.” He chuckled as his arms tightened around your body. "I know you think it might not be true, especially since I've only met you a while ago, but each time I see you, hear your voice, my heart seems to thump a little harder, and my mind becomes more muddled in your presence."

     “I like you too. Although you're my best friend's sister, I can't stop myself from thinking about you."

     “Well, you lovebirds. I’m happy for you two, but I would prefer it if you didn’t kiss on the kitchen bench that I am about to occupy for dinner.” Daichi seemed to jump from the embrace, as Kōshi closed the fridge door, placing the meal in the microwave. Shaking the water out of his wet hair, you could only watch the droplets darken the shrimp top he always wore. He moved to the bench to help you into the chair and placed the ice on the swollen ankle. “Shouldn’t you be heading home now, Daichi?”

     “Ah yes, I should,” Shuffling closer to you once again, he pressed a kiss to your forehead. “Get better soon.” You nodded and pulled him into one last hug before he headed off to leave. You smiled as Kōshi ruffled your hair.

     “Eat your dinner. I’ll wait until okaa-san gets home before I leave you to your own devices. And I can’t believe that you have a partner before me.”

* * *

* * *

* * *

 At the day of the Interhigh-Preliminaries, you had woken up early and made your way to the stadium to familiarise yourself with the gym that would hold the girls' matches, as well as to warm up. Your team knew of this, so they would be arriving later on the bus to the venue with their coach and advisor. Your brother's team would be arriving soon, as would Oikawa and his teammates, so you ran over to the front of the boys' venue to greet them

     "Hey, Tōru-kun!" As expected, Oikawa was walking by himself with a volleyball in hand towards the entrance. The other players must've been warming up with a slow jog around the venue, and your suspicions were right when you spotted Iwaizumi leading his teammates around the corner. "Are you ready?"

     "Think so." He tossed the ball in the air and watched it land back in his hands. "How about you? Nervous?"

     "Of course. No matter how many matches I will play, I don't think I can ever rid of these butterflies."

     "I think Seijō would end up versing Karasuno again." You looked at him questioningly and he expanded on his thoughts. "Tobio-chan's quick should be enough to blast through their opponents and their captain would be there to receive any passes."

     "I just hope my brother would play in a match..." Iwaizumi shouted in the distance for Oikawa to join the team, in which the latter gave him a thumbs up even though he wouldn't be able to see it from this distance. "Well, good luck anyways. You should get going unless you want to run ten extra laps."

     "Good luck to you too, (F/n)-chan." 

Soon after, you saw the Karasuno bus come to a stop in the car park and you couldn't help running towards the boys hopping off the vehicle.

     "Good morning, Karasuno!"

     "Ah, Sugawara-chan! Good morning!" Kiyoko gave you a wave and you beamed back at her. "Why are you here so early?"

     "Just wanted to walk around the buildings and familiarise myself with the gym." They were all wearing their black tracksuits and you thought they looked intimidating yet quite professional.

     "Imouto-san!" Your brother strode over with Daichi at his side. "Good luck for today!"

     "You too, onii-san, Daichi!" Your phone vibrated in your pocket and you took it out to see a text from the vice-captain stating that they had arrived. "Oh, my team's here already so I better get going."

     "Good luck, (F/n)." Daichi gave a wave and was not expecting you to leap into his arms and give him a kiss right on the lips. Your brother pretended to gag on the side as you angled your head to deepen the kiss. His arms wrapped around your torso to lift you to a better height and your hands cradled his face gently.

     "Uwahhh! The captain and Sugawara's sister are kissing!" Hinata shouted a few metres away and you parted from the kiss with a small smirk.

     "Shut up, dumbass Hinata!"

     "You'll do great today, Daichi. Don't worry about it." You pressed one more kiss on his lips before sprinting away. "Good luck, Karasuno!"

* * *

During your own match, you heard about the disappointing defeat of Karasuno against Aobajōsai when your team took a time-out to dissect the opponent's tactics. Your best friend was the one to bring you the news, sprinting all the way to the stadium the girls occupied with her video camera in hand. She had leant over the railings, waving her arms wildly to gain your attention and you jogged towards her. You were extremely nervous about the match, and you were torn inside as to supporting your brother and your boyfriend, but also wanting Tōru's team to win since you had often left the school while the sounds of volleyballs echoing off the gym floor echoed the campus.

     "(L/n)-chan! I've got the results!" Your teammates heard her, and they too sprinted over to hear the victors of the match. "Oikawa-kun's team won in the end! Oh, it was so intense and for a moment I thought Karasuno would win, but luckily the ball went out..." Cheers erupted from your teammates and some commented about how now they needed to treat the boys to a plentiful lunch to celebrate the win. But you remained silent, the cogs in your brain churning from interpreting the information.

So Oikawa had won, that meant his efforts of late-night practices had paid off. This meant that Daichi's didn't. It meant that they didn't do enough to prepare for a win against Aobajōsai. The hours he had spent staying up to analyse their opponents with the videos you managed to retrieve, the practices where he received every one of your serves in order to be able to receive Oikawa's on the day, the early mornings when the sun wasn't even up yet to unlock the doors of the gym and start practice even earlier to make use of all the time they had... it all counted up to a devasting loss. Daichi, the boy who did everything in his power to ensure that they could win, didn't win. He lost to the boy who did as much as he did, and that was the most disappointing thing of them all.

     "Where are they now? Karasuno?" Your friend stopped her conversation with the libero and turned to face you. You hadn't told her of your relationship with Karasuno's captain yet but she knew your brother was part of the team, so you wondered if she had kept an eye on them.

      "Um, I think they left the gym soon after the defeat but I'm not really sure. Why?" She tilted her head to the side before it clicked in her mind. "Oh, your brother did play in the match for a while since the other setter started to become reckless. He did extremely well, (L/n)-chan. No need to worry!"

     "That's good. I really wanted him to play after all." Your lacklustre response seemed to satisfy her. The vice-captain faced the team and shot her arm up into the air.

     "Since the boys won, we can't possibly lose our match either! Let's win and celebrate with them afterwards!"

     "Yeah!" Your teammates brought their arms up and cheered, jumping on the spot. 

     "Let's go, Aobajōsai!"

* * *

It was the day after their loss against Seijō. Coach Ukai had cancelled the morning and afternoon practices, so Daichi had nothing to do that day other than attending school. All the members sat at their desks in their classrooms, not paying much attention to the teacher but rather were reflecting on what they had done wrong. Daichi rested his head on his arm, with Kōshi two seats behind him jotting down the notes obediently into his notebook. His pencil laid untouched next to his blank notebook, and he didn't make an effort to pick it up. They lost. No matter what they had all done to bring themselves closer to the goal of participating in the nationals, it wasn't enough. The bell rang and the dark-haired boy reluctantly stood up with the rest of the class to thank the teacher. Chatter soon filled the classroom and he sunk back down on the wooden chair.

     "Daichi?" The grey-haired boy pulled up his own chair to his table. "Are you okay?"

     "Mm." He shrugged and remained in his position.

     "This isn't the end, you know. We've got one more opportunity to aim for the nationals." He patted his back comfortingly and sighed. "Imouto-san says well done if you haven't read the texts she sent. She wants to meet up with you sometime this weekend." 

     "I know." Daichi looked at the phone sitting on his desk. Since that day, you had been sending texts to comfort him and tried to arrange a day to meet up with him again since volleyball practice had kept them apart. But didn't reply to any of them, even ignoring the calls you tried to make to listen to his voice, one you haven't heard in a long time.

     "She's worried, you know. Even I'm worried." Kōshi rested his head on his arm. "The loss wasn't your fault, it just meant that we have a long way to go to improve."

     "How is she?"

     "They made it through to the final match to determine the representatives." He remained silent, gauging Daichi's emotions. "Just like Oikawa and his team, they have one more match to go."

     "I see." Daichi finally reached for his phone and opened one of the texts you had sent him. "I'll tell her that I'm free this weekend." 

     "Okay." Kōshi watched the boy type the reply and send it to you. "Also, I think we third-years should talk about whether we want to stay in the club at lunchtime." 

* * *

Your team was so close to obtaining victory, but your spike was the one which had brought the match to an end. It wasn't meant to end so soon, the point wasn't meant to go to the opponents. The ball was meant to rebound off their arms and into your setter's so that you could go for another spike, but they had angled their arms just a fraction so that the ball whooshed straight past you onto your side of the court, a few millimetres from your libero's hand. The blunt blow of the whistle signified the end and your teammates started to tear up. It wasn't your place to cry right now, not yet with the prying eyes of the audience and the cheers of the victors just on the other side of the net.

On the bus ride back home, you had received the resignation letters from the third-years of the club. They wanted to concentrate on their studies and get into a good university, and you collected those sheets with a forced smile.

     "Lead the club to victory again, (L/n)-san, in the Spring-High Preliminaries."

     "I'm sorry we have to leave you so soon, but you can do it. You're strong."

     "Good luck."

     "Thank you for all your efforts, captain. Make us proud."

Oikawa found you sobbing outside the teachers' office when the bus came back, clutching at the papers tightly with one hand as the other one wiped away at the tears trailing down your face. The building was void of people, but there you were, trying to collect every bit of strength to push the door and place the documents on the advisor's desk to finalise the loss of the teammates who played by your side since you joined the team.

     "(F/n)-chan..." He quickly rushed over and gathered you into his arms, rubbing your back with soothing circles. "Don't cry, please."

     "Tōru-kun..." You felt his own tears at the nape of your neck, where he had buried his face. His breath hitched from the sobs escaping his body and you raised your hand to stroke his hair gently. "You played extremely well today. I just wanted you to know that."

     "But it wasn't enough to defeat Ushiwaka-chan."

     "You've tried your best." Oikawa shook his head and tightened his grip on you.

     "All of our practices, experiences and strategies were being broken by force." His voice wobbled and you couldn't stop the tear that slipped down your cheek onto his jacket. "Well, I guess the actual path to victory doesn't really matter. The one that lets the ball fall on the court loses."

     "It just means that you have to become stronger." You patted his back one last time before leaning back from the embrace. "Let's go home and get okaa-san to make something nice for us."

     "Like milk bread?"

     "Sure, milk bread sounds fantastic."

* * *

 Your brother greeted you back home and was the one who had ended up making the milk bread. Your mother was busy running errands, so you used that time to help out with preparing dinner while Oikawa stood by the stove and ensured the pot of curry wouldn't burn. 

     "I'm guessing the both of you lost your match." He gestured at the milk bread in the oven with a tilt of his head. "Otherwise, you wouldn't want milk bread out of the blue."

     "Mmm." You shrugged and Oikawa remained silent.

     "To be honest, I was frustrated when we lost. We tried our best, but your team must have been trying their best as well." The brown-haired boy lifted his gaze from the pot to look at your brother in the eye.

     "Everyone tries their best to win, but it depends on whether or not you could use all your potential to win." He continued to stir the contents and you set down the last plate on the table.

     "We gave it our all, and if that wasn't enough it means that we have to improve." You walked into the kitchen and observed Oikawa cooking. "That's the truth."

     "But you played extremely well, Sugawara-kun. Your team deserved every point you managed to win."

     "Thanks, Oikawa-kun." With the curry done, he dished some out onto the rice and you placed them on the dining table.

     "Let's eat." Dinner was short and silent, with the two boys gobbling the food at a rapid pace. They were done eating and were cleaning the kitchen when you finished your meal.

     "Gosh, I don't think I can ever beat the two of you in an eating contest." Before Oikawa could flick you with water, the oven timer beeped and your brother put on the oven mitts to take the bread out. 

     "Your milk bread is the best, onii-san." The fragrant scent wafted into the air and you couldn't help but pause your duty of drying the dishes to sniff the bread. The brown-haired boy seemed to have the same thought as he had quickly rinsed the last of the plates and made his way next to your side.

     "Be very careful, it's hot." You took out a container to place half of the bread in before handing it to Oikawa. "Here you go."

     "Thanks, Sugawara-kun, (F/n)-chan." He ripped a small piece of it and popped it into his mouth. "It tastes amazing."

     "Make sure to save some for your mother, Tōru-kun." You cut a slice and placed it on a plate for Kōshi. 

     "I should get going then if you insist on me saving some for okaa-san." 

     "See you tomorrow!" He gave a wave before making his way out. You finished drying the plates as Kōshi made his way upstairs to finish the last of his homework. It took you a while since your mother wasn't there to help you, but once you finished the house looked spotless.

With all the evening chores done, you were finally able to check your phone for any replies from your boyfriend. You smiled for the first time since the loss when you saw that Daichi did reply, saying that he was available on Saturday.

     "Imouto-san?" Kōshi knocked on your bedroom door to get your attention and you waved him in. He sat down on the bed and patted on the spot next to him for you to sit on.

     "How was school?"

     "Same old, same old. We didn't have volleyball practice but we all stayed after school anyway."

     "I see." You both sat in a comfortable silence as you sent another quick text to Daichi telling him when to come over.

     "Good job today. I know your team lost, but it sounded like it was a close game." His voice broke the silence and you jolted in surprise.

     "Yeah, we'll be sure to practice even harder for the Spring-High Preliminaries coming up." You continued to scroll through your news feed and he laid back on your bed, fiddling with the stuffed animal placed on your pillow.

     "Did anyone resign from the team?" You stopped, glancing towards him.

     "All the third-years resigned." He hummed in response and continued to toss the toy up into the air. "Are you planning on resigning?" You knew volleyball meant quite a lot to him, even if he didn't always show it in an obvious way. But your brother might have other plans and decide to concentrate on getting into university...

     "I'm planning to stay. Same as Asahi and Daichi." You perked a little at his name and grinned fondly.

     "That's good. Is he okay, Daichi?"

     "He's a bit down from the loss, but his mood has lifted compared with this morning." He placed the toy back on your pillow and stood back up. "If you want, on Saturday you both can hang out downstairs while I stay in my room to do homework."

     "Only if you promise not to sabotage us again." He laughed as he recalled the memory of stalking the two of you on your last date and accidentally caused you to scream in the cinema when he tapped your shoulder.

     "I promise, but I might get hungry so I might wander downstairs..." He held up his hands in surrender when you glared at him. "I promise! I'll leave the two of you alone!"

     "You better."

* * *

 The week flew by and soon Saturday arrived. Some part of you was glad that the sky was gloomy so you could use it as an excuse to stay at home and watch movies. Daichi had continued to text you throughout the time apart and had promised to bring over some snacks to eat once he saw the weather forecast and your suggestion for a movie date.

     "Imouto-san! Daichi's here!" Kōshi called out from the kitchen downstairs, and soon after you heard the ring of the doorbell.

     "Coming!" As usual, Daichi had come earlier than the time appointed and you quickly glanced down at your outfit to make sure it was presentable. The simple pale green dress might have been a bit too much for a date at home, but it was comfortable and you hadn't worn it in a while. You  grabbed a hair tie and pulled your hair up into a messy bun before making your way down the stairs. "Hey, Daichi!"

     "Hey, (F/n)." He was dressed in a red flannel shirt and jeans, one hand gripping onto a plastic bag filled to the brim with snacks. "You look nice."

     "Haha, thanks." You rose onto your tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "You don't look so bad yourself."

     "Did you remember to get the shrimp flavoured chips for me?" Kōshi chirped and you looked at him strangely. 

     "Why would he get anything for you?" You stuck your tongue out at him as your brother brought a hand to his chest.

     "How dare you wound my delicate heart!" You pretended to ignore your brother as Daichi started to search through the packages of food.

     "Yeah. I got you one packet and also..." He held out a packet of spicy-flavoured crackers. "Some red hot chilli crackers that were on special. Not sure if you'd like it but it's a good time to experiment."

     "Thanks, Daichi!" He held the goods happily and started to open the packet.

     "You've got your food now, onii-san. Now go lock yourself in your bedroom and study!" He nodded whilst munching on the cracker and held one out to you.

     "Here, it's actually pretty good. Not that spicy." You opened your mouth and he popped it in. It only took a couple of seconds before the flavour seeped from the cracker onto your taste buds, and you started to cough. He laughed out loud and quickly ran up the stairs so you wouldn't hit him.

     "Not spicy?!" Daichi patted your back as you continued to cough. "Why don't you pick out a movie while I get a glass of milk?"

     "You sure?" But you had already made your way into the kitchen so he walked towards the living room. Your laptop was sitting on the table with a pile of discs next to it, and he noticed that your background picture was a photo of the two of you sharing an ice-cream.

     "Have you chosen one yet?" You came back with the remanents of a milk moustache and he squinted his eyes at the sight. "What's the matter?"

     "You've got a moustache. A milk moustache." He gestured to your lips and you gave a small pout in response. "Come here." You had intended for him to just wipe it off with his thumb but his lips met yours gently.

His tongue teasingly licked away at the top of your lip as shivers ran through your body. You moaned in appreciation and sank down on the couch next to him, but not for long. His hands found their place on either side of your hips and he effortlessly lifted you up so you were on top of him. Your legs on either side of his in a straddling position, you felt the roughness of his jeans as you settled yourself down. Hands roaming the broad expanse of his back, you finally found the hair at the nape of his neck and gave a gentle tug. He broke the kiss to let out a groan before connecting his lips to the delicate skin on your neck.

     "Daichi..." You felt his teeth nibble very softly at the skin before his tongue peeked out to soothe the skin. Your hands continued to comb through his hair and you let out a gasp when he travelled to the ticklish area just below your earlobe.

     "Your skin is very soft." He breathed quietly into your ear before latching onto the earlobe and you squirmed from your position. "And you smell very nice too." You let out a giggle as his nose traced a path along your jawline and he pressed one more kiss to your slightly swollen lips. Your lips tried to chase after his but with no avail as he leant forward and looked through the DVDs you had placed on the table.

     "I'm not finished with you yet, mister." You poked his shoulder with a finger from your new position of leaning your head against his chest, listening to the thumps of his heartbeat.

     "Nor am I, but stop distracting me with your good looks if you want to watch a movie." You whacked him good-naturedly as he shot you a grin before holding out his choice.

     "Oh, I like that." Tucking your legs to the side, you reached for the case and opened it to reveal the disc.

     "So I've heard." He plucked the disc from the case and inserted it into the slot at the side of the laptop. "Kōshi mentioned how you always used to watch it when you were younger." He placed a heavy arm around your shoulders and pulled you closer, pressing a kiss on top of your hair.

     "And now I get to watch it with the boy I love the most."

* * *

 Despite the film being one of your all-time favourites, you were soon distracted due to the presence of Daichi next to you. You used this opportunity to examine his dark lashes and the tiny, almost non-existent flecks of gold in his eyes that no one would possibly notice unless they were very close to him. Just like you were now.

     "Are you watching the movie or me?" His eyes remain unmoved from the screen, fingers tracing little patterns on the skin of your thigh.

     "... You caught me." Letting out a noise of amusement, he leant forward to pause the movie and turned to face you.

     "Is there something on your mind?" You were silent for a moment, wondering whether to speak out what was on your mind or not. But Daichi's intense gaze made you open your mouth and pour out what you were thinking.

     "Onii-san told me about how disappointed you were that Karasuno lost against Aobajōsai." A frown appeared on his face and kept silent so you would continue talking. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm disappointed too. Of course, I'm happy that Tōru-kun's efforts had paid off, but I'm frustrated that even though you tried your very best it wasn't enough."

     "I've heard that all the third-years in your team had retired. It must be hard, but here you are comforting me." He reached out for your hand and stroked your knuckles with his thumb absent-mindedly. "Thank you for worrying about me, (F/n). You did extremely well, and no one can tell you otherwise."

     "You deserve so much more than I can ever give you, so I'll continue to support you, no matter what happens in the future." You squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile. "I promise."

* * *

What did you do to deserve such a caring and understanding boyfriend as Daichi? You don't know, but Fate must have a reason for intertwining both your lives in such a way that you can appreciate each little thing about him.

* * *

* * *

 


End file.
